This invention relates to a bulkhead brace for connecting concrete forms and, in particular, to a bracket for connecting the ends of a wall form system.
Conventional methods for bracing and closing the ends of wall form systems have involved the use of a considerable amount of material and labor. In one of the commonly used methods an end piece made of lumber is nailed together to close the space between the two walls and a series of braces are wedged against the end piece and the ground. Each brace is installed separately by fastening it to the end piece and then, using a ground stake, wedged between the end piece and the ground. Often, four to six such braces are required to close the end of the wall form system due to the weight of the concrete poured in the mold form. A considerable amount of lumber is used to make the end piece and braces, and many manhours are spent just to close the ends of a single wall form system.
Another end piece for closing the ends of a wall form system uses tie rods and wedges of a conventional waler support for tying together two spaced walls. An end piece is positioned between the spaced walls close to the ends, and the walls are squeezed together to lock the end piece in place. While the end piece is being squeezed a wedge is forced over the tie rod, locking the walls and end piece together. This method requires a specially constructed end piece which has the proper dimensions for being squeezed without being too wide or too small. Obviously, if the end piece is too wide or too small, the spacing elements of the waler system will prevent the end piece from fitting. An end piece that is too wide will not fit between the form walls; while an end piece that is too small will be too loose and, therefore, will not seal the end of the wall form system. Considerable time is required to construct a properly fitting end piece which can be squeezed by the spaced walls.
As a result of a search of the Patent Office records, the following list of patents was developed:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,468,830; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,641,958; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,694,292; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,439; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,660; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,542; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,862
Of the above listed patents, the most interesting patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,468,830 and 2,610,660. These patents are directed to forming concrete forms using wooden side walls held together by mechanical braces which extend from one end of the spaces walls and fasten to the other wall. The brace in U.S. Pat. No. 1,468,830 uses a geometric triangular support system where the hypotenus leg can be moved to collapse the brace. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,660 a pair of L-shaped braces are pivotally connected together to easily disassemble the wall form system. While the braces of the above patents resemble the bracket of the present invention, they neither function similarly to the bracket of the present invention, or serve the same purpose to close the end of a wall form system.